Introduction to This Blog

This blog is about transporting horses.

I am an equestrian and an unrepentant anorak.

Function and form need to go hand-in-hand when it comes to the designing vehicles for transporting horses.  Designers, engineers and craftsmen have to work creatively to produce good horse transport that's totally fit for purpose.

Most horseboxes, particularly in the UK, are produced by small firms or traders which follow a few basic "rules of thumb" to produce tried and tested designs using tried and tested materials.  When you have no R&D budget, this makes economic sense.  Horse owners too are, understandably, conservative when it comes to design; they want something safe for their horses and safe for their wallet.

A nicely liveried truck and trailer horsebox combination

There are a few examples, here and there, that push that much clichéd design envelope a little bit further.  This blog will celebrate clever design and outstanding craftsmanship.

In horsebox design and operation, engineering and regulatory constraints are manifold.  Driving licence rules, tachograph rules, operators licences, Welfare of Animals Transport Order (WATO) regulations and Road Vehicle Construction and Use (C&U) Regs are all there to make our roads safer and our horses happy.  This blog will elaborate on these.

There's also a growing catalogue of research and publications on the welfare and health of horses in transport.  Although mainly concerned with the welfare of horses in transport for slaughter, the physical health and emotional well being of  our cherished sports horse is no less important.  This blog will report such research.. 

And I've got pictures.  Lots of pictures.